CENTRAL GRACE BULLETIN

Central Grace Church

3596 Franklin Street Rocky Mount, Virginia

Website: www.centralgracechurch.com Email: [email protected]

June 13^th 2021

9:30 am-----------------------------------A Farewell to Faithful Followers – Colossians 4:7-18

10:00 am ------------------------------------------------------------Even So, Amen – Revelation 1:7

Wednesday: 7:00 pm -------------- Where the Body is The Eagles Are Gathered – Luke 17:37

*** There will be a memorial service for brother Walter Groover (in English) tonight at Lincolnwood Baptist Church, David Pledger, pastor. The service will be broadcast live at 7:00 pm at the following site:

http s://w ww.se rmona udio. com/s olo/l incol nwood churc h/web cast/

Listen to live audio of services on: www.mixlr.com/centralgracechurch

Listen to: WYTI Radio – Rocky Mount, VA - 8:00 AM – Sundays -- 1570 AM / 104.5 FM,

Our Greatest Enemy

"He that is slow to anger is better than the mighty; and he that ruleth his spirit than he that taketh a city." – Proverbs 16:32

What a foe to one's peace is one's own spirit! And what shall I call it? It is often an infernal spirit. Why? Because it bears the mark of Satan upon it. The pride of our spirit, the presumption of our spirit, the hypocrisy of our spirit, the intense selfishness of our spirit are often hidden from us. This wily devil, self, can wear such masks and assume such forms; this serpent, self, can so creep and crawl, can so twist and turn, and can disguise itself under such false appearances, that it is hidden often from ourselves. Who is the greatest enemy we have to fear? We all have our enemies. But who is our greatest enemy? He that you carry in your own bosom; your daily, hourly, and momently companion, that entwines himself in nearly every thought of your heart; that suggests well-nigh every motive; that sometimes puffs up with pride, sometimes inflames with lust, sometimes inflates with presumption, and sometimes works under feigned humility and fleshly holiness. Now this self must be overcome; for if self overcome us eventually, we shall perish in the condemnation of self. God is determined to stain the pride of human glory. He will never let self, (which is but another word for the creature,) wear the crown of victory. It must be crucified, denied, and mortified; it must be put off, so that Jesus may be put on; that in the denying of self, the Lord Jesus may be believed in; and that in the crucifixion of self, there may be a solemn spiritual union with Him who was crucified on Calvary. Now, are we overcoming self? Are we buffeted? What says self? "Buffet again." Are we despised? What says self? "Despise again; retort angry, look for angry look, and hasty word for hasty word; 'an eye for an eye, and a tooth for a tooth.'" But what says the Spirit of God in a tender conscience? "Be not overcome of evil, but overcome evil with good." The way to overcome self is by looking out of self to Him who was crucified upon Calvary's tree; to receive his image into our heart; to be clothed with his likeness;

to drink into his spirit; and "receive out of his fulness grace for grace." -- J.C. Philpot

The Coming of The Lord

“For as a snare shall (that day) come on all them that dwell on the face of the earth.” – Luke 21:35

We read that "as a trap shall it come on all those who dwell on the face of the whole earth." As a trap falling suddenly on an animal, and catching it in a moment—as the lightning flash shining suddenly in heaven, before the thunder is heard—as a thief coming suddenly in the night, and not giving notice that he will come—so sudden, so instantaneous will the second advent of the Son of man be. The precise date of our Lord Jesus Christ's return to this world has been purposely withheld from us by God. "Of that day and hour knows no man." On one point however all the teaching of Scripture about it is clear and unmistakable. Whenever it shall take place, it shall be a most sudden and unexpected event. The business of the world shall be going on as usual. As in the days of Sodom, and the days before the flood, men shall be "eating and drinking, marrying and given in marriage." Few, even among true believers, shall be found completely alive to the great fact, and living in a state of thorough expectation. In a moment, in the twinkling of an eye, the whole course of the world shall be stopped. The King of kings shall appear. The dead shall be raised. The living shall be changed. Unbelief shall wither away. Truth shall be known by millions too late. The world with all its trifles and shadows shall be thrust aside. Eternity with all its dreadful realities shall begin. All this shall begin at once, without notice, without warning, without note of preparation. "As a trap shall it come on the face of the whole earth." The servant of God must surely see that there is only one state of mind which becomes the man who believes these things. That state is one of perpetual preparedness to meet Christ. The Gospel does not call on us to retire from earthly callings, or neglect the duties of our stations. It does not bid us retire into hermitages, or live the life of a monk or a nun. But it does bid us to live like men who expect their Lord to return. Repentance toward God, faith toward our Lord Jesus Christ, and holiness of conversation, are the only true habitual preparedness required. The Christian who knows these things by experience, is the man who is always ready to meet his Lord. – John Charles Ryle